Page 23 of To Wed a Witch
By the time the fog lifted, it was daylight, and much to his frustration he noticed the MacKay guardsmen had not taken their leave and it seemed they would journey with the Fergusons for most of the way.He swore with anger because the opportunity to take out his opponent was gone.He retreated to rethink a different strategy.
***
Chapter 6 - Ferguson Keep
The gates of FergusonKeep creaked open as their small caravan rolled into the bailey.Sìne felt Bhaltair's tension increase.She'd already caught her first glimpse of his ancestral home from the ridge above, and while the sight had been sobering, it hadn't dampened her spirits as he'd clearly feared it might.
The Keep was indeed a shadow of what it must once have been.Crumbling towers rose against the grey sky, their stones darkened with age and weather-worn.Scaffolding clung to the eastern wall where men had clearly been laboring to shore up sagging sections, and she could see gaps where mortar had fallen away from between the massive blocks.The roof showed patches of newer slate among the weathered original, evidence of ongoing repairs.
But rather than disappointment, Sìne felt something closer to eagerness stirring in her chest.Here was a place she could put her skills to good use.Purpose.
She caught Bhaltair watching her with wary eyes, clearly bracing himself for her reaction.Instead of the dismay he expected, she smiled.
"'Tis a mighty stronghold," she said."Look at those walls.They've stood for centuries, have they not?Built to endure."
The relief that flickered across his weathered features was almost heartbreaking."The roof of the Great Hall let in rain through most of last winter," he admitted roughly."And the north tower stands empty until we can shore up its foundation."
"Then ye'll see it restored when the time is right," Sìne replied matter-of-factly, adjusting Aidyn in her arms as the child babbled at all the new sights and sounds."All things have their season."
Before Bhaltair could respond, the bailey erupted with activity as his clan members emerged from doorways and gathered around the courtyard.Word of their laird's return had spread quickly, and the crowd that assembled was substantial despite their much-reduced circumstances.
"Laird!"someone called out, and the cry was taken up by others."Welcome home!"
Bhaltair dismounted and moved to help Sìne down from the cart, his hands lingering at her waist.The crowd pressed closer, eager to catch sight of their new lady and the mysterious child she carried in her arms.
"Is it true, laird?"called out a burly man with a blacksmith's scarred hands."Will we finally have coin for the repairs?"
"Aye, Kenneth," Bhaltair replied, his voice carrying clearly across the courtyard."Our fortunes have improved."
A cheer went up from the assembled crowd, and Sìne felt some of the wariness in the air ease.These people had clearly suffered through lean years, and the promise of better days ahead was written on their faces.
But not every face showed welcome.She caught glimpses of narrowed eyes and heard the whispered conversations that followed in their wake as Bhaltair escorted her toward the Keep's main entrance.
"Is that really her?"someone murmured."The MacKay Witch?"
"They say she can call the dead back to life with her dark arts."
